Wyvern's Flight
by NitroTheKidd88
Summary: A young and up-and-coming guild, Wyvern's Flight seeks to gain fame, fortune, or at least some sort of recognition! But between a corrupt council, their... "colorful" members, over-dramatic rival guilds, and excessive paperwork, that might be much harder than they think... But, they can pull through with teamwork- or the crystals that can bring ultimate power. [OC-centric, AU.]
1. A Stylish Adventure

_**Chapter 1: A Stylish Adventure Begins**_

 **Summary:** A foolish young boy decides joining this guild was a good idea.

The country of Floria was such a bright place. Filled with its lush and diverse plant life, pastel-painted buildings, and cheery people. It was an amazingly peaceful country, and the town of Veritas was no different.

At least, that's what Trace Splinte thought, as he walked through the many streets. He tugged on his teal bandana with gloved fingers, eyes peeled for this guild hall.

The directions he was given was simple: head west down Main Street until he saw the massive building atop the hill. He'd know when he saw it- their "armored beast" guarded its gates.

He felt some amount of goosebumps as he headed in that direction, power-walking through the marketplace, softly refusing the strange wares of the merchants... Was he here before? All these streets looked the same!

At the very least, he knew he was further away from the train station. All he could see was just more buildings and more street. The hilltop one should be nearby, right?

He stopped at the end of the marketing street- grabbing a small, printed map. Based on it, he was…

He was…

Trace's eyebrows quirked in confusion, green eyes squinting at the piece of parchment. Which street was he on? Main street, right? Going forward, he'd be heading west, which is what the kind man at the train station said to do.

But, the guild hall was…

" _Eh..?"_

He'd ran straight past it a few minutes ago. Thinking about it, this was kind of hill-like, was it?..

Trace groaned and turned around- taking a much slower stride, this time.

* * *

The guild hall was _not_ as big as Trace was lead to believe.

The brown haired boy had imagined a massive tower- but this was considerably more modest. A good 3 or so stories, maybe even an attic. He'd seen shabbier guild halls before, and this was considerably better off than those.

The building matched the architecture that Trace had come to love about Floria. The orange-colored bricks and high ceilings were expected for this sort of place, as well as its surrounding garden. Only the few banners hanging signified his location.

On the banners was their guild mark- the head of a horned beast, with its wings raised and spread. Yes- this was indeed the guild he was looking for.

The guild of Wyvern's Flight.

As he walked within the outer garden, walking along the stone floor, he quickly noticed something white on the floor to his side- and upon a closer look, it both awed and terrified him.

This must've been the "armored beast" he was told about. Though, he expected it on the _outside_ of the gates- and not asleep in the shade. It had a guild mark of its own- the same one from the banners, on its right "shoulder".

" _Uh- excuse me?"_ Trace asked the creature, kneeling down to its resting height.

A single eye opened beneath its helm- pure red. Though, not filled with malice, which was a good sign. It looked up at him, expectantly. It seemed to understand his speech perfectly.

" _I'm looking to join this guild. Can you point me in the right direction?"_

The beast nodded- and lifted itself upright. In this position, it was much easier to tell it was some sort of tiger.. Only thing was its two tusks and massive size. And boy did he mean massive- it _towered_ over his sitting position. He stood up as well- it was close to his height! Sure, he wasn't the tallest, but he was sure tigers weren't supposed to be so large.

The beast began to walk off- but stopped when it noticed Trace wasn't following him. He took the hint, shaking off his surprise and walking alongside it.

It lead him around the guild hall- to a set of stairs at its side. It seemed to lead directly to the upper floors. It nudged at his leg- pushing him forwards.

He nodded, and hesitantly walked up the steps, trying to calm down his nerves. He could do this! He was finally going to join a guild, be the mage he dreamed of! He was excited, beyond words- but with that came a nervousness.

Was he being led to the guildmaster? What did they look like? What were the other mages like? How powerful were they? What types of magic did they use? What did the guild hall even look like?

These questions distracted Trace from what was likely the longest walk up a flight of stairs he'd ever suffered through. "Butterflies in his stomach" didn't even begin to describe how he felt- paired with an insufferable giddiness.

He reached towards the door- gloved hand resting on the doorknob. This would be it- his chance to join an up-and-coming guild, make friends, all of those things! All he had to do was open the door!

He pulled- nothing. He tried once, twice- still nothing. What the hell? Was it locked? _Broken?_

He jolted as that beast's claw pushed on the door- granting the desired effect. The door opened with a loud creak. It seemed dark, with a faint light coming in from both the afternoon sun and the inside.

Trace took the first steps inside, and the tiger followed behind, closing the door from behind with its tail.

The inside was much more cozy than he thought the attic would be. The floor was a soft rug, with the tables and shelves housing various trinkets- the parts of various monsters, some dusty trophies, a few silver keys, all scattered about. Towards the middle was an empty table and two chairs, facing a fireplace.

One was occupied- by a figure in a dark cloak. All of their details were hidden- their hands adorned in gloves, and their feet covered by boots. They turned towards him- there was a glow of white eyes beneath the shadows of their hood.

" _Ah, Tora."_ uttered the mage, looking towards the white-furred beast. It purred in affirmation, walking towards the cloaked figure.

" _...And Tora's acquaintance."_ their voice seemed to have brightened a bit. " _Go on lad, have a seat."_

" _Yes, of course! Sorry!"_ Trace exclaimed- louder than what was optimal. He took the cloaked figure's offer, sitting down in the seat opposite to him. Tora had made its way near the fireplace, curling into a resting position.

" _...So, sir. I know this may come as sudden, given that I arrived with... no prior warning... But, becoming a full-fledged and legalized mage is my dream. I request to join your guild!"_

There was silence. Nervously, Trace turned towards the Guildmaster- their white eyes rather neutral, locked on his figure. Though, after a bit of staring, they began laughing.

" _I figured as much. A bright-eyed young boy like yourself wouldn't be here for a chat… Very well."_

The Guild Master hopped out of their seat, heading towards a chest in the back corner.

" _W-wait huh? That's it? There's- no sort of test or anything?"_

They turned back towards him- and shrugged.

" _Too tedious. The tourney is happening soon too, so there's that."_

" _T-tourney? Sir?"_

" _You'll see soon enough… Where's that stupid stamp…? Oh, kid. What's your magic?"_

Trace found himself warming up to the eccentric Guild Master. He found himself chuckling.

" _I'm a wielder of one of the Arcane Artefacts!"_ he said, proudly.

" _Oh…"_

Why did they sound unimpressed?

" _Y'know- one of the rare and powerful Arcane Artefacts!"_

" _I know..."_

Scratch that- they sounded absolutely disappointed.

" _Ah, here's the boring legal papers… And the… Stamp… Is… here! Perfect!"_

With their hands filled with documents and trinkets, the hooded mage trekked back towards him, dumping all of the papers on the small table.

" _I hope you have spare time."_ they said, sitting back down on the chair with another hearty laugh.

 **-** _ **Chapter 1 END**_ **-**

* * *

 **A/N:** … _Well, this is surprising, isn't it?_

 _I'm sure I am or am not rather infamous. The guy who submits the same OC but slightly altered to a billion different SYOC's. The guy who started a P3/P4 parody fic but deleted it without a word years later. The guy who can't review stories so he sends PM's instead._

 _So, I'm writing stories now!_

 _And I'll actually try to actively update them this time!_

 _As I mentioned in the summary- this is a heavy AU, OC-centric, and experimental. A small little guild, based in an alternate Earthland. All canon characters will likely only be vague mentions- if at all. And it will likely stay that way._

 _It's completely new- new lore, new magics, new characters that you'll hopefully grow attached to… I'm very excited to start this series. It's like writing a full-fledged novel for me. I know most of you don't exactly share my excitement. But I've wanted to do something like this for a long, long time._

 _I'm just hoping I find the drive to see this through until the end._

 _Now, for the_ _ **Question of the Chapter:**_ _what do you guys want to see out of this story? What sort of arcs do you want to see? What sort of characters do you want to see interact? How long do you want it to be? That sort of stuff._

 _Be sure to review and all of that good stuff. Tear this story a new one if you have to. It keeps me thriving._

 _Also, at the end of each chapter, I'll provide a small synopsis of each character introduced, or include some basic lore stuff- since I'm awful at descriptions. Imagine these as pictures in a piece of literature- something like that._

* * *

Trace Splinte. A sixteen-year old young boy, and the newest member of Wyvern's Flight. A friendly and optimistic individual, with a curious mind.  
He wields the _Arcane Action Artefact_ , a Holder-type magic.  
Trace is 5'9", with a rather lean build, brown hair, and green eyes. He is dressed in an opened, navy-blue jacket with the sleeves rolled up. Underneath, he wears a white and red t-shirt, navy blue pants, and white sneakers. A teal bandana is tied around his head, and white gloves.

Tora. An animalistic, yet highly intelligent creature. A calm and patient individual, who is soft despite his frightening exterior.  
His magic is _Furor Divinus_ , an ancient magic that channels one's inner rage.  
Tora is a large white tiger- a saber-tooth, with red eyes. It is donned in gold and black armor- the metal covering his lower arms, backside, and the top of his head. A saddle-like device rests on its backside, as well.

The Guildmaster. An enigmatic dieity. They never take off their cloak, and seldom goes outside, so barely anyone has seen their face. Though, they are rather enjoyable company.  
His magic is unknown, as well.  
The guildmaster is a tall figure, donned in a dark, hooded robe. Black pants and boots lie underneath it, as well as black gloves. The most anyone has made out are pure white, glowing eyes beneath their cowl.

* * *

 _ **Next Chapter:**_ _The young hero meets even more weirdos._


	2. Ten-Man Band

_**Chapter 2: Ten-Man Band**_

 **Summary:** Our foolish hero meets the rest of the colorful cast of weirdos.

* * *

" _Okay then- Trace, was it?"_

Trace nodded, excitably, as the guildmaster finally prepared the stamp tool. Registering took much longer than he thought- but it was necessary! To preserve the law, and whatnot, the council knew what they were doing. Though, the Guildmaster was right- it was indeed _tedious_. They had the stamp prepared with his color of choice- a vibrant blue.

" _Do you solemnly swear to use your powers for the good of others, not for your own selfish gain?"_

They had uttered that so fast- Trace hadn't been able to catch it. He simply nodded.

" _Then by the power invested in me as the Guildmaster, I welcome you to Wyvern's Flight!"_

They quickly pressed the stamp against his left shoulder- it honestly burned a little. Not only that, but his arm was starting to feel sore. The guildmaster had slouched into their chair with a huff.

" _Man… That took awhile… Congrats, kid, you're legal."_

A bright smile formed on Trace's face. Part one of his goal had been achieved- and only in a day! He rubbed against the new guild mark on his arm- it was still sore, and hurt to touch… But, that was normal! Should wear off soon enough!

The guildmaster nudged at Tora with a gloved hand- softly waking up the beast. It acted much more like a cat than anything.

" _Show the newbie around for me, will ya?"_ they asked, shoving something into its armor. Tora nodded- getting back up again, and walking towards the door. Trace had gotten up as well- stretching out dormant muscles.

Though, before he could leave, the Guildmaster cleared out their throat.

" _Good luck out there."_ they simply said. They sounded rather pleased with him.

" _I won't let you down, sir!"_

* * *

As Trace opened the backdoor again, he quickly noted how it was _already_ sundown. It was only the afternoon by time he walked in- how long did he spend in there?

It didn't matter- the guild was just below his feet! He quickly caught up to Tora, his mind filled with questions.

" _What are the guild members like..?"_ he mumbled, absentmindedly.

" _...Diverse."_

" _Wait, you can talk?!"_

He did not expect his question to be vaguely answered by a giant talking tiger. He did not expect to meet a giant talking tiger within his _lifetime_ , nonetheless have one as his _guildmate_.

Tora simply nodded, not losing much stride. It seems it was used to such astonishment.

" _That's so cool- I hadn't met any sort of magic animal before! Were you born being able to talk, or did you learn English?"_

The tiger just shrugged.

Did this guild had some sort of penchant for being vague and unspecific?

" _Right… A-anyways. The guild, right? What're they like?"_

" _They're an interesting group. You'll grow used to them."_

Assertive enough, but not giving much away. Saving the surprise, he supposed.

" _And what about that… Tourney, or whatever, that the Guildmaster mentioned?"_

" _You'll see. They should be getting ready for it now."_

As the two approached the doors to the Guild Hall, Trace felt those nervous jitters again. He was an official member, one of them- and had a dull arm to prove it! But still. These were likely serious, powerful mages, right? They've been legal for much longer than himself!

" _Kid?"_

" _R-right!"_

No use thinking it over now. He put his hand on the door handle, and pushed.

...And pushed… And pushed. No, it was probably a pull door, Trace was _not_ falling for this again! Upstairs door is push, downstairs is pull!

...And pull… He tried again, once, twice, thrice- _eh_? He pulled and pushed rapidly on the door- to little avail. It had to be locked, there was no way-

" _The right door's broken."_

" _Oh. Of course…"_

This time, he went for the massive door on the right- and pushed. The light from within the hall shined on him, brighter than the darkening outdoors, and noises of idle conversations filling in the silence of nature. Tora had taken the front- much quicker than Trace would've preffered.

" _Hey- close the door!"_ an unfamiliar voice yelled at him. He looked up- there was a purple-haired girl atop a ladder, holding some sort of unhanged banner. Another man in a red longcoat was supporting said ladder.

Trace jolted- pushing the door closed as quickly as he could- the other side of the banner was already pinned up on the wall- and opening the door any further would've not only pulled her down, but tear straight through the banner.

" _Sorry, sorry…"_

The banner had words written in an unfamiliar language- " **ふぁいとくらぶ** **!"**. Tora seemed somewhat _disgusted_ looking at it.

" _That's_ _not_ _what we agreed on."_

A girl atop a ladder- the one that yelled at him, gave Tora a dumbfounded look, annoyed.

" _This is twice as good! Kou, agree with me."_

The white-haired man holding the ladder just shrugged.

" _I guess it's_ _okay_ _."_

" _You're a damn buzzkill."_ the girl uttered. She turned back to her previous task, with a smirk on her face. " _It's still going up, Tusk!"_

The tiger only rolled his eyes, and turned back to Trace. " _I'm heading to the baths. You'll be okay on your own for a bit?"_

" _Yeah, I'll be fine… Thank you, sir."_

Tora nodded, and carefully opened the door, walking back out the way they came in.

" _So, Fresh meat."_

The girl was looking at him again- her smug glance made him feel like something bad was about to happen. Though, she released something of a happy snicker.

" _It's been awhile since we had anyone new come in! Nice seeing ya."_

The man holding the ladder nodded- though, Trace couldn't make out an expression- as he was turned away.

" _Yes, it's a pleasure to meet you two!"_ Again, his voice had raised louder than a normal inside voice. " _My name is Trace Splinte!"_

" _So formal…"_ said the man, with a sigh.

" _Better than nothing. Call me Erin. Down here's Kou."_

"Kou" sighed- somewhat annoyed by his comrade's antics. " _Don't listen to her, she's delusional. It's Kouga."_

" _Don't scare the kid off on his first day! And also- Fresh Meat! Go help out!"_

Trace began to nod- but stopped. He still didn't know what sort of event was going on, how could he help with it?

" _Help with… What, exactly, miss?"_

" _Preparations."_

He sighed- deeply. That didn't help, but he expected it at this rate. Erin turned her head back to his own dumbfounded expression- and snorted at the sight.

" _Preparations for Fight Club!.. Or, y'know, "Wyvern's Flight's Mage Tournament", but that just sounds lame. We spiffy up the place and beat each other up in an organized fashion every year."_

" _Why, might I ask..?"_

" _I dunno. Guildsy wants us to."_

As she pinned up the banner properly, Trace could clearly see the words on the banner- beneath the unfamiliar language, it was translated to the vernacular.

Somehow, he wasn't surprised that it just said "Fight Club".

* * *

" _Thanks for the help, rookie!"_

The red-headed girl patted Trace on the shoulder- his _left_ shoulder. His grip faltered as he attempted to lift his side of the massive table.

" _Y-yeah, no problem..!"_

Trace had gone to the barside first- surely, the ones in the kitchen would have _some_ sort of difficulty, right? He wasn't too good a cook, but he could watch an oven, stir a pot- or something simple like that.

Though lifting things was a tad bit more up his alley, he would prefer to do that when he could completely feel both of his arms.

The red-haired girl ( _Freya_ was her name, he remembered) went over to the other side and effortlessly lifted the thing.

" _Alright, start moving!"_

Trace nodded- it seemed like Freya wasn't having a hard time on her end. Did she even really need his here? Her build was defined enough- she had quite some muscle on her, more so than what he'd seen on the other members so far.

His thoughts were only amplified as Trace saw her switch to only one hand.

" _Right here's good."_

While Freya had lowered her end with grace, Trace had dropped his own with a terribly loud thud.

" _Perfect. Thanks, rookie!"_

Trace nodded- and slumped into a nearby stool. First real activity as a Legal Mage is just moving a table, and he was already winded.

" _Oh yeah, rookie!"_

He paled a bit, but remained vigilant, looking Freya straight in the eyes, prepared for whatever challenge she could throw at him. He could do it! No matter how many heavy objects he had to lift, no matter how hard he had to work this sore arm, he could- and _would_ do it!

" _Mind going into the kitchen and watching the oven? I gotta take care of something."_

Or he could do that.

" _Of course!"_

* * *

" _Is it supposed to be smoking like that..?"_

Trace turned- skeptically, to the small blue-haired child(?) who was watching the stove, reluctantly reaching a hand to the boiling pot of… Stew? The steam was scalding to the touch, and it was turning a dark purple color.

Was stew even _supposed_ to boil?

" _Of course it is."_ said the (rather deep voiced) child, with provado that seemed faked.

" _...It's not."_

The girl with the yellow goggles spoke up at last, blue eyes briefly turning to the small child- away from the oven she was watching.

" _Says you!"_

The child huffed, throwing his arms in the air.

" _Freya leaves for one second, and suddenly no one knows how to cook!"_

" _...I don't know how to cook, Onyx."_

" _Neither do I!"_ Onyx yelled back. " _Amateur!"_

" _Y-yes?"_ Trace responded, quickly turning back to him.

" _Where did Freya go? We need her cooking magic or whatever right now..."_

" _She went to check outside-"_

" _Of_ _course_ _she did…"_ Onyx sighed. " _Y'know what, Gisa?"_

The other girl only looked up in response. She seemed nervous.

" _We can do this by ourselves! It's just like fighting!"_

" _...It's_ _nothing_ _like fighting-"_

Gisa was cut off before she could continue.

" _Amateur, move on! We got this under control!"_

Trace sighed, and nodded. They most certainly did _not_ have that under control. But Trace couldn't do anything to help.

...Wasn't stew supposed to simmer?

* * *

" _Why aren't you helping?"_

" _I've already done my part. And you spent almost the whole day in your room instead of cleaning."_

The girl in the hoodie sighed, dragging the mop across the floor.

" _Speaking of, where's Tora?"_ asked the hooded girl's accomplice, strumming on a lyre. She played a gentle and relaxing melody, never missing a beat. " _I haven't seen him all day…"_

The other girl huffed, and continued her job.

Trace would've just kept walking, had they not noticed him power walking past.

" _Hey, new kid."_

The hooded girl's monotone call stopped him in his tracks. Nervously, Trace turned towards her.

" _Yes..?"_

" _Clean the floors for me, you've got nothing to do."_

" _...Right…"_

Somehow, he wasn't surprised. The hooded girl tossed the mop into his hands, and jetted off, heading quickly upstairs.

" _Wait- Lyra!"_ the guitar playing girl tried to call after her hooded friend, but to no avail. She sighed, and turned back to Trace.

" _I'm so sorry, novice!"_ she said, apologetically. " _Lyra's just… a bit reclusive, is all!"_

" _It's fine."_ Trace said- in a poor attempt to seem nonchalant. " _I could do this all day!"_

Though, he was hoping for something a bit easier. No, _hoping_ wasn't right- more of _begging_.

But it was fine! He was fine- perfectly so!

* * *

He was not fine. Definitely not- not after mopping an _entire floor._

It didn't help that this was the floor _everyone was on._

The girl with the guitar _(Avalon, wasn't it?)_ kept apologizing, attempting to _nicely_ guide him into it. She even offered to help- but he denied! He could do it!

If he knew that Gisa would spill an entire pot of overcooked curry on the ground, and that Erin would "accidentally" glue Kouga onto the floor, _maybe_ he would've accepted such help.

But, he was done! At last! Exhausted, he dropped the mop in the bucket, leaning against the wall, sitting on the floor. His arm was unbelievably _sore_. He felt like he could collapse at any second.

" _Working hard, are you?"_

The gruff voice that hit his ears was unmistakably Tora. He wouldn't forget what a massive, talking tiger sounded like. Trace opened a single eye, and smirked.

" _Y-yeah… That's one way to put it…"_

" _Good, good. I'm glad_ _you're_ _helping out."_

Tora said this with almost an annoyance, but it quickly faded.

" _I have your room key, if you're ready to hit the hay."_

His eyes practically gleamed as he leapt upwards from the floor.

" _Yes, of course!"_

Tora reached into its armor with a paw, and pulled out a small key. Attached to it were two keychains- one of the guild's mark, and the other a rectangle with a number on it.

" _Rooms are upstairs. Good luck tomorrow."_

" _Yeah, you too! Thank you!"_

As the tiger walked away, Trace briefly remembered what was tommorow… Wyvern's Fight Zone, or whatever it was called.

...Oh. Of course, he'd be automatically enlisted. He sighed- he wasn't exactly prepared, but he could at least predict what was coming!

* * *

" _034… 036… 038… Here!"_

For such a small guild, there were more rooms than he thought. Granted, they'd probably just be small, dorm-sized ones.

But, 040 was rather far off from the others. Perhaps, this one was bigger.

" _Out of the way,_ _Boot_ _."_

Trace jolted, and lept backwards into the wall. The voice was unfamiliar, and so was that nickname. Piercing blue eyes met his own- almost freezing him in place.

Such a glare… He would be lying if he said he wasn't intimidated.

And it was certainly this guy's purpose- leering him down like a stalking predator.

And just like a predator- he struck quick, kicking his foot just next to his head- _hard_.

Trace yelped.

" _Listen,_ _boot._ " the man hissed. " _If you think I'd let you in_ _my_ _room just because the hooded bum in the attic_ _says so_ _, you'd be_ _sorely_ _mistaken."_

" _But the key says-"_

" _Shut it,_ _boot_ _!"_

Trace sighed. It seemed he had to listen.

" _If you_ _joined_ _just so you could end my_ _winning streak,_ _you'd be mistaken as well!"_ the young man shouted. " _The Arcane Knight_ _never_ _loses_ _."_

" _I wasn't going to-"_

" _Never!_ "

Trace sighed, again, this time shoving his hands into his pockets.

" _And if you think I'd let some bright-eyed_ _boot_ _get in my way, you'd be_ _mistaken_ _."_

At last, the young man lowered his leg from the wall. Trace sighed in relief as he opened the door, walked in, and slammed it shut.

After half a minute, Trace casually opened the door- the man hadn't even locked it.

As soon as he took a step in, he was pinned again, black soles just barely missing his head.

" _You."_ he hissed.

" _Me..?"_

" _..."_

The young man was silent, leering down at him from under that massive collar. Maybe it was something Trace had to get used to.

" _...I just wanna go to bed, man…"_

" _Cry me a river,_ _boot_ _."_ he hissed, lifting his leg off the wall and skulking to one of the beds.

 _Who even_ _is_ _this guy?!_

…

It took thirty seconds under that glare to realize Trace _said that aloud_. He panicked.

" _I-I mean, I don't know who you are, and all!"_

He scoffed, and hopped on his bed.

" _Glave._ _Get it through your head,_ _boot_ _."_

" _It's nice to meet you-"_

" _Don't even_ _speak_ _to me."_ Glave quickly uttered.

Trace simply nodded, with a sigh, and made his way to the opposing bed.

' _What's his deal..?'_

He made sure to _think_ that, this time.

 _ **-Chapter 2 END-**_

* * *

 **A/N:** _...This was meant to be out much sooner._

 _The day after Chapter 1 soon, to be precise._

 _...So, well over a month ago?_

 _I'd like to apologize for that. I was struggling bad with this one. Hopefully, my update schedule will be much less inconsistent from here on out. Daily chapters was probably a stretch from the start, since I'm gonna be starting high school again soon. But, I'll aim for at least_ _monthly_ _. My goal is bi-weekly updates, but we'll see._

 _Anyways, the chapter!_

 _As I mentioned, this was a struggle. Introductions are not really my forte. [In fact, I'm about 90% sure there were only two memorable intros this chapter.] But, I wanted to at least try._

 _Glave kabe-donned Trace with his leg. That takes flexibility, y'know. His leggy was up real high._

 _Wyvern's Flight split themselves into three teams of three to prepare as efficiently as possible. One team did the cooking, one team did the cleaning, and the rest were stuck with decorating because they either couldn't be trusted with sharp objects/chemicals/fire and/or because they're just insufferable._

 _This first arc is mainly introductory. I wanna show off the guild's magic and interactions before I build up the world. Character comes first, in my opinion._

 _Now, as for the_ _ **Question of the Chapter:**_ _who was your favorite character, so far? Maybe a rating of the characters, or maybe a favorite boy and girl…_

 _I'm asking this rather early, but we'll see how long that favoritism lasts._

 _Man. The character synopsis is going to be over a page this time… But, it'll be the last ones for a couple chapters!_

 _Maybe then I'll get better at description and won't need one..!_

 _Do all of that good stuff like you did last time. Follow, favorite, review, flame the hell out of the story… Those good things keep me writing._

* * *

 _In Response…_

 _ **Firefly OwO**_ _(what's this?)_

 _I'm glad my humble little fic piqued your interests! I get your dilemma with OC-Centric fics. Really, my goal is to be as different from the Fairy Tail guild/show as much as I can. But, I know_ _little_ _about the show itself. I'm not very caught up… So a coincidence is a coincidence._

 _Thank you for the follow!_

 _ **Inkwell Princess**_

 _I'm glad the characterization stuck out to you! That was really my main goal, see. A tournament arc, you say..? You'll love the next few chapters. You'll just have to wait and see!_

 _Thank you very much for the favorite!_

* * *

 _Synopsis… [In order of appearance.]_

Erin Aardentum. A fifteen-year-old girl- the youngest member of Wyvern's Flight. An excitable and somewhat vulgar individual, who is mischievous in good nature.  
She wields the _Arcane Shooter Magic_ , a holder-based magic.  
Erin is a 5'6" young girl with short lilac-colored hair and stormy gray eyes. She is dressed in a yellow tanktop under a brown pilot's jacket [with one of the sleeves golden in color] with white shorts, knee-high brown boots, and fingerless gloves.

Kouga Zephyrn. An eighteen-year-old boy of mysterious origin. A lazy and snarky individual, who comes off as an aloof jokester.  
He has access to _Arcane Soul Magic,_ a diverse ability based on the user's mind.  
Kouga is a 6'0", lanky young man with sloppy white hair and red eyes. He wears an opened red long coat with golden epaulettes on his shoulders- almost like some sort of  
uniform. Underneath he wears a black tank-top with black pants and white boots, with red and black gloves.

Freya Leonard. A twenty-three-year-old young woman, and one of the first members of Wyvern's Flight. A hot-blooded and hard-working individual, whose fiery attitude boosts morale.  
She uses _Fireworks Magic_ , a fast and flashy flame-based magic.  
Freya is a 5'8" young woman with a muscular build, long red hair, tied in a short ponytail, and reddish-orange eyes. She wears a sleeveless red tunic with navy blue shorts, and brown boots. Her shoulders, forearms, and lower legs are covered in light and silver armor platings.

Onyx Oxdartt. A twenty-eight year old man, despite the fact that his height and face says otherwise. A short-fused individual with a joy for engaging in combat.  
He has access to _Nuclear Magic_ , a powerful and wild magic based on explosions.  
Onyx is a 4'2" man with long navy blue hair- most of it tied in a long ponytail, and golden eyes. He is dressed in a baggy black jumpsuit with grey boots meeting before his knees, gray fingerless gloves, and a silver headband.

Gisa Azurite. A nineteen-year-old member of Wyvern's Flight. A shy and quiet individual who hides this behind a stoic personality.  
Instead of a magic, she uses _Alchemy_ , the practice of using potions and transmutations to varied effect.  
Gisa reaches 5'7", with long and messy blue hair, and blue eyes. She is dressed in Wears a short, opened gray vest with a white t-shirt underneath, red sweatpants, gray gloves and brown boots. Two utility belts are strapped to her waist, and a pair of yellow-tinted goggles rest atop her head.

Lyra Ourohart. A twenty-year-old young lady, and member of Wyvern's Flight. A cold and reclusive personality, who seems to be what grounds this strange group to reality.  
She uses _Electric Magic_ , a unique variation of lightning-based magics.  
Lyra is 5'5" in height, with long forest green hair and brown eyes. She wears an oversized white and pink hoodie with the hood shoved over her head, gray sweatpants and white sneakers.

Avalon Cadenza. A seventeen-year-old member of Wyvern's Flight. She has a kind and open personality- but sometimes has her head in the clouds.  
She uses _Mystic Song Magic_ , a magic channeled through the power of music.  
Avalon is a 5'6" young lady, and has short and curly blonde hair and blue eyes. She is dressed in a short brown vest with a white dress shirt underneath, a gray skirt, and brown boots. She hauls a massive backpack around, which contains several other instruments.

Glave Bravewing. An eighteen-year-old member of Wyvern's Flight. He has a prideful and rude personality, and doesn't tolerate others in his path.  
He wields the _Arcane Quest Magic_ , a holder-type magic.  
Glave is 5'10", with a muscular physique, red hair and blue eyes. He wears a black tanktop with red and white vein-like markings running through it, with an oversized white collar. With it, he wears white jeans, black dress shoes, and long black gloves that reach before his shoulders.

* * *

 _ **Next Chapter:**_ _A bit of shenanigans occur the night before the fight._


	3. Initiation

_**Chapter 3: Fresh Meat's Initiation**_

 **Summary:** Twas the night before the tournament, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring…

Except for a few.

* * *

" _Do we have to, Erin?"_

This would be Kouga's last attempt to stop her from breaking into bedroom 040. The girl opened the door with an air of determination.

" _Course we do."_ Erin scoffed, rummaging through the gardening shack. " _Where's the crowbar..?"_

" _Glave is gonna get on my case if we wake him up…"_ he sighed, leaning against the wall, gloved hands in his pockets.

" _Oh yeah... I wanted to knock Edgelord off a few pegs anyways. Fresh Meat has to get dunked."_

He nodded, with a sigh.

" _I could just get him in and out…"_

Erin turned back to him, with some sort of smarmy grin.

" _That's no fun!"_ she huffed. " _It's like a heist film! We gotta do it all complex-like. Going retro!"_

Kouga nodded, reluctantly, as Erin pulled out a sledgehammer.

" _Hold this just in case."_

" _Yeah, sure…"_

Kouga took the massive tool- did they really need it?

Knowing Erin, it was probably just for show.

Erin slammed the door shut, crowbar in hand, a wide grin on her face.

" _Come on. Game start."_

* * *

" _Alright, be_ very _careful."_

Kouga nodded, as Erin tiptoed up the attic steps. He thought the crowbar was just for 040- no. No it was not.

The crowbar was for the lounge upstairs. Then, they'd get the _key_ from upstairs, then use _that_ to break into 040.

Of course, it wasn't as easy as it sounded. But it sure was as showy.

As each step made a creaking noise, Erin was specifically slow in walking up them. Kouga- sledgehammer over his shoulder, was walking behind her- _bored._

" _The Guildmaster has eyes like a hawk, ears like a bat, and the nose of a bloodhound. Sure, we're breaking the door off their man cave and all, but we have to do it_ _quietly_ _."_ Erin explained- leaping over a particularly loud step.

" _Yeah, of course."_ he uttered.

As Erin finally- _finally_ made it up to that final step, she flexed her fingers, and gently prepped the crowbar.

" _This part requires a precise movement. Frame-perfect."_ she mumbled. " _No continues!"_

She gave it the softest tug she could probably muster.

Kouga found himself sighing- deeply.

" _Oi- I got it! Just… A little like this-"_

An equally pathetic tug. The door moved a little.

" _See! Progress!"_

" _We'll be here all night."_

She ignored him that time- vouching to tug- then stop if she made too much noise.

" _Ghost Driver - Phaseout_ _."_

He walked past- and straight through Erin, then straight through the door she was trying so hard to break open so gently. A sickly green aura surrounded him.

As he entered the dark lounge- waiting for his eyes to adjust from pale moonlight to pitch blackness, his hand reached for the doorknob.

Only to phase through it.

Oh, right.

The aura faded, and this time, he was able to unlock and pull open the door with ease.

Erin almost tripped inside- but grabbed onto the doorframe to balance herself.

" _Or_ _that. We could've done that."_ she mumbled, heisting the crowbar over her shoulder. The light of the stars brightened the dark room.

… " _That's how he sleeps?"_ Erin mumbled, staring at the guildmaster.

They were positioned like a bat- hanging upside-down, wrapped in a sleeping bag.

Even as they slept, the cloak was still on.

" _Don't judge."_ Kouga mumbled, leaning on the wall. " _Get the key."_

She nodded, with a quiet snicker. He saw her figure sneak off into the dark of the room- slowly but surely. She pulled open a drawer, and pulled something out with a light jingle.

" _...Kou..!"_ she hissed, turning back to him.

" _What?"_

" _I can't read this, so I'm just gonna bring the whole key ring out!"_

Reluctantly, he nodded back, watching her crawl back into the light. As soon as she was safely out the door, she sighed in relief.

" _Let's see what we got... What was it again?"_

" _040."_

She nodded, shifting through the keys as quietly as one could.

" _Like I said. Heist mission!"_

She began wiggling a key out, and pocketed it. With flair, she rolled back into the room, and threw the key ring into the open drawer.

As it hit the hardwood inside with a loud jingle- his heart almost skipped a beat.

For a moment, it was silent.

Then, Erin gave him the "O-K" signal with her right hand, and _gently_ pushed the drawer closed this time.

As she crept out of the room, she smirked, spinning a silver key between her fingers.

" _Objective complete!"_ she grinned, and began walking down the steps.

...She left the door wide open. With a sigh, Kouga pulled the door closed, and followed after her.

* * *

" _Alright! Phase 2!"_

As Erin unlocked the door- much less carefully this time, and kicked the door open.

" _You're my muscle! Get Fresh Meat!"_

Kouga nodded, with a sigh, and walked into the room. Erin followed after him.

He couldn't deny that Trace looked so peaceful while he was asleep. Only in blue and white boxers, snoring gently.

He lifted him out of bed, in a bridal hold.

" _How's Edgelord?"_

Kouga glanced to the opposing bed.

If it was possible for someone to angrily sleep, Glave was certainly doing it. Clutching his blanket as if he was giving it a chokehold, kicking his legs back and forward, practically _growling_. One of his fists were clenched- as though holding a sword.

Seems like he was ready for tomorrow.

" _...Sleeping."_

" _Oh. Damn. Guess we can't use the sledgehammer."_

She looked back towards Glave expectantly, almost as if she _wanted_ him to wake up.

" _Erin."_

" _What?"_ she asked- in false innocence.

" _We'd bludgeon his head in."_

" _He could take it."_ she snickered, walking out. " _Come on. Next chapter."_

She slammed the door shut. Glave still didn't wake up, but Trace shivered in his arms.

Kouga hefted Trace over his shoulder, and followed after her.

* * *

" _Wake up, Fresh Meat!"_

Trace jolted awake with a yell.

" _I'm being abducted!"_ he shouted, slamming his fists on Kouga's backside.

" _Relax. It's just us."_ Erin said, with a cheshire-cat esque grin. " _We're going on a journey!"_

" _Erin..? B-but… it's… What, 3 in the morning…"_

" _Does it matter? You'll like this!"_

Kouga felt Trace nod, and calmed.

" _...I'm starting to get dizzy…"_

" _We're almost there, calm down!"_

Kouga could indeed see the river from here. It was running gently, making little noise as they approached.

" _Alright! This good, Kou?"_

Kouga nodded. He could throw a boy that far safely. Erin's grin widened.

" _From this day forward, Fresh Meat… You are now... Cooked Blue. Toss him."_

" _Wait, what-"_

Before Trace could finish, Kouga dropped him from his shoulder, back into his arms- and vaulted him towards the river.

" _AAAH!"_

There was a loud splash.

" _Mission complete!"_ Erin yelled. " _Celebratory handshake!"_

Though Kouga snorted in response, he entertained the command- the two high-fived, locked fingers, separated fingers, fist bumped, and finished by giving each other the bird.

" _What the hell was that?"_ Trace yelled, as he erupted from the water.

" _Initiation!"_ Erin smirked. " _We all went through it!"_

To be technical, they did not start doing it until Erin made it a permanent thing. But, that wouldn't help their situation, would it?

" _It's three in the morning, and I apparently have a death match tomorrow. I spend the night before mopping a man out of glue and getting dumped in a river by that very same man."_

… " _This is what being a Legal is like…"_ Trace muttered, with some sort of strange awe.

* * *

" _...So cold…"_

Even with Kouga's jacket over his shoulders, drenched from drying himself off, Trace was still shivering.

" _We'll get back to the guild hall in a bit."_ Kouga sighed. His arms were bare- at last showcasing the black guild mark on his right shoulder.

" _Yeah, you can dry off, crack open a warm one, whatever. Pour you a glass of coffee or something."_ Erin added, with a shrug.

" _He probably wants to go back_ _in_ _bed, that'll just keep the kid up…"_

" _Fine_ _, Mister Nutritionist! Cup of hot chocolate!"_

Kouga nodded- he liked hot chocolate…

" _...Not a fan…"_ Trace stuttered, clutching the oversized jacket closer to his body.

Erin sighed- exasperated. " _Cup of tea! Either that, or a cup of hot milk!"_

The boy nodded, somewhat pleased.

Kouga could admire the kid. At least _he_ saw good in this situation.

* * *

 **A/N:** _This was self-indulgent, and finished about an hour after Chapter 2 was published. But, I let it sit for awhile to finish up some…_

 _Preparations..._

 _Also, posted it a bit early. School's starting for me the day after this goes up, so I'll get this one chapter out while I can._

 _I needed this "initiation" scene to happen. I wanted to continue on with the three getting some steamy beverages and placing bets for Fight Club, but I decided against it. It would've just dragged on._

 _Switched up the P.O.V. for some variety. I'll do this a bit more during Fight Club, so I hope you all don't mind._

 _(...I mean, what else would I do for the parts that Trace_ _isn't_ _in? Plus, a little variety is always good.)_

 _Kouga and Erin were not intended to be the power duo of this guild, but for this chapter alone, I'm glad they were._

 _I like the nickname "Edgelord" because it not only fits Glave's magic, but it also describes him as an individual._

 _There's not much to say, this time! This was honestly a pretty short filler…_

 _Well, I showed off the first spell! ...Does that count as anything special?_

 _But, the battles begin next chapter!_

 _On the topic of Fight Club, for today's_ _ **Question of the Chapter:**_ _It's the betting pool. Who do you think is going to win? How far will each character make it, and the likes._

 _It won't affect the outcome, but I'll consider what you say for a later date._

 _Be sure to like, comment, and subscribe if you enjoyed this chapter. Or dislike. Maybe share it around? Signal boost me a little._

 _Synopsis section will be shorter, as these will just be tidbits of lore from now on…_

 _...Or until this arc ends._

* * *

 _In Response…_

 _ **Firefly OwO**_

 _Good tastes. Who wouldn't like a giant talking saber-toothed tiger? Tora's a pretty chill dude._

 _I hoped Glave's intro would stick out! He's a rather interesting one, indeed… Wonder what's up with him?_

 _ **Inkwell Princess**_

 _Scream it into the heavens! TOURNAMENT ARC!_

 _An Onyx fan! I created him with the small in mind. I'm also really glad the rival sticks out! Glave's a real jerk, but he's our jerk._

 _and the consensus of the reviews say we love him-_

 _And you noticed that, hm? In this AU, getting a guild mark stings for a bit- but it's not a good idea to overwork where you got it. It's like getting a tattoo really really fast. Trace definitely abused his arm, so it should've stung a lot more than normal._

 _But, the complete numbness he suffered?_

 _¯\\_(_ _ツ_ _)_/¯ I dunno, lol. Maybe he's just scrawny._

* * *

 _Synopsis…_

 _The country of Floria is a peaceful grasslands, where many sorts of people have chosen to make a living. The growing vegetation makes for beautiful gardens and sceneries. However, due to this, it's very expensive to own land there._

 _Many guilds have made their mark here, but our tale focuses on the town of Veritas- a porting town placed on a river._

* * *

 _ **Next Chapter:**_ _The Pre-Eliminations begin._


	4. You Do Not Talk About Fight Club

_**Chapter 4: You Do Not Talk About Fight Club.**_

 **Summary:** _The Wyvern's Flight's Mage Tournament kicks off with a bang. Pre-Eliminations begin._

* * *

" _This is… Extravagant."_

Trace knew that extravagant was an understatement. This was flashy, colorful, extraordinary, showy…

...Dare he say _overdramatic_.

The small arena in Veritas was decorated with streamers and banners, the guild's mark on most of the decor. Colorful posters covered dull and worn out stone bricks. A light show was visible from the outside, the bursts of magic fireworks being heard over the cheers of the audience.

He had looked at the brackets before he left- Trace was the first up in Eliminations, facing against Gisa. But, since the number of participants were at a measly 10, there were the brief "Pre-Eliminations" before his own.

He hoped that "fireworks show" wasn't actually the fight. He hurriedly made his way into the arena- hoping there'd be a seat left.

* * *

" _There's the new kid."_

Trace waved- nervously, as _Lyra_ of all people pointed out his presence. In response, he was given a small wave from Gisa, a glare from Glave, a wink from Kouga, and a wider wave from Erin.

He was somewhat nervous that the three "sensible adult figures" were missing from the group. To participate, of course, but still.

" _Your seat's over there."_ she said- pointing to the seat behind Glave and Kouga's, adjacent to Gisa's.

" _Right! Thank you!"_

As he- quite awkwardly- shuffled into his desired seat, conversation sparked.

" _You_ _really_ _think you'll surpass me, don't you_ _Boot_ _?"_ Glave scoffed, the instant Trace sat down.

…" _I'm… sorry..?"_

" _Bribing the Guildmaster to put you in the bracket opposite to mine! Just to make a spectacle facing_ _me_ _in the Finals!"_

" _...Assuming you make it to Finals."_ Kouga added.

" _Says the one who never makes it past eliminations! Face me seriously!"_

Kouga only shrugged in reply.

" _Oh yeah…"_ Erin mumbled. " _Kou throws every year. But still, who says Cooked Blue will make it past me?"_

" _Why are you guys placing bets on me?! Who says I'll even make it past Round_ _one_ _?! Gisa might make it!"_

 _"...Yeah, okay."_ Erin agreed. _"Potion Man has experience on her side! No offense Cooked Blue, but you're kind of a scrub."_

 _"...She's not wrong..."_ Gisa mumbled.

For a quick second, Trace's eyes widened. They were right- he's been legal for barely a whole 24 hours. These guys- legal for years! He had to throw something back- at _least_ defend his honor!

 _"Well, yeah, but-"_

" _It doesn't matter!"_ Glave shouted, ending the debate. " _You'll all be in the loser's brackets soon enough!"_

Lyra huffed in exasperation, fixing the hood over her head. It seems this conversation happened before.

" _I will_ _not_ _be defeated,_ _especially_ _by some Boot!"_

" _Whatever you say, buddy."_ Kouga sighed. Glave quickly redirected his glare from Trace back to him.

" _We are_ _not_ _buddies, Mongrel!"_ he screamed in retaliation. " _Face me in the arena and see why!"_

Well, it was at least good to know Trace wasn't the _only_ one that Glave gave a rude title to.

" _Please don't yell over the fights."_ Lyra said- firmly, evenly.

With almost a pout, Glave silenced- arms crossed, his leer directed to the show in front of him.

* * *

Tora was used to tournaments like these. Humans loved them- loved fighting in them, loved watching them.

The Guildmaster was no different. They always seemed so excited when these tournaments started. Organizing them, watching them… Like a kid with Christmas.

Of course, these were purely friendly. Not a hint of malicious intent…

...Well, from most. Some got too competitive. Others got too into it. But in the end, it was harmless.

Tora at least knew Freya was just looking for a fun match.

' _Damnatio ad bestias…'_ he found himself thinking. This matchup followed the setup, but the competitors- evenly matched.

It seemed she was thinking the same- or, at least similarly. She smiled, walking up to him, shaking "hands".

' _Not really hands on both ends, but close enough.'_

" _Just like old times, isn't it?"_

" _Something like that."_

As they walked back to their corners of the ring, the barrier around them formed- surrounding the pit with translucent hexagons. A simple mechanism, to make sure those watching didn't get hurt.

The cheers of the crowd was the only signal for them to begin.

Tora knew and expected Freya to make the first move. She must've, too- for a few seconds, she watched him. But, quickly, colorful flames burned in her armored hands, sparking with color.

With a cry, she leapt upwards, throwing one of them directly at him.

There it was.

Tora pounced to the side, dodging the flame as it burst against the ground. Though, that's not what he was anticipating. No, it was what came after, what would've been- what _should've_ been a kick straight to his skull. They've faced off for years, he knew her style…

And perhaps, she had finally learned his.

Instead of missing a bludgeoning punt like he expected, she quickly landed and rolled back, throwing the second ball of flames at him. Tora just _barely_ blocked- the small burst leaving a burn mark against his armor.

She smirked, as another flame started up in her palms.

" _You're gonna have to fight back, y'know."_

He chuckled. A red aura began to form around his body.

" _There's no rush, is there?"_

Tora dashed forwards, and watched carefully for Freya's next move. It seemed she was planning for once- instead of hopping back or to the side, she blocked- taking the brunt of the charge, barely skidding back.

Then again, it wasn't even too powerful.

" _You're going soft, man! Come on!"_

She lept back- another colorful flame sparked beneath her feet, propelling her away.

This would be quite the exercise. With a huff, Tora decided to at least entertain her.

It seemed she changed her strategy quite a bit from the times before. Hovering in the air like that, tossing balls of flames towards him every now and again, as he was forced to prance around the ring.

Even when she missed, or if they were blocked, she kept at it…

Was she waiting for him to strike? She'd just exhaust herself out!

...Well, at the Quickly, Tora shifted to the offensive- running towards Freya directly. She grinned- she wanted this, and backflipped, flames dispersing beneath her, floating gently to the ground.

Mid-fall, she threw two bursts of flame towards him- both dodged easily, effortlessly.

Or, perhaps-

He barely got to see the move he had predicted before- Freya using the momentum of her fall for a powerful kick- he almost bit off his tongue as she impacted over his head. Quickly, she lept back,

" _Oh, come on! You're throwing!"_

" _Maybe so…"_

Perhaps, he was going a _tad_ too easy on her. Once again, a red aura surrounded him, more powerful than before. She grinned in reply, leaping up into the sky once again.

Though he tried to follow, she had the height advantage. Thinking from a strategic standpoint, it would be better to stay either far away or just beneath her. But, Freya wasn't really the strategic type.

Point proven- the mid range wasn't opted with much resistance. Tora pounced onto the barrier- and began running up the sides, up to her height. The aura around him began to flicker, growing stronger.

As soon as he reached Freya's position, he hopped off the wall-

" _Furor Burst!_ "

And exploded, in a burst of fierce red energy.

They both landed ungracefully- battered and bruised. Tora hated using that move, it hits him just as hard... But it was rather effective.

Freya rolled upwards and sat upright- breathing rather heavily.

" _Wanna call it quits?"_ he asked, approaching her once again.

" _Really..? So soon..?"_

She looked more exhausted than her words. They both knew this. Freya sighed in defeat.

" _Alright, fine."_

Once again, they shook hands- and the barrier dispersed.

* * *

" _H-holy crap…"_

Trace was in utter awe from that spectacle. Though short- it was indeed as grand as he'd expect from mages of this caliber.

" _Of course the animal throws it."_ Glave scoffed, turning back to Trace. " _The hell are you so happy for?!"_

" _Lay off the kid, it's his first time."_ Kouga sighed. " _Least, I'd think so…"_

" _I just think it was pretty cool, y'know? Running up the wall to fight an airborne opponent… Does Tora not have any long-ranged moves?"_

" _Oh, he does."_ Erin smirked. " _He's just soft."_

Blowing Freya up did _not_ look soft. But, he didn't want to argue.

" _You think that's cool, just wait until I kick Edgelord's ass."_

" _Kick the ass of whom?! I bet you won't even make it to finals!"_

Trace wasn't going to lie- he felt somewhat tense. Meeting the standards of that first match would be difficult…

" _Gisa."_

From the other side of the seats, Lyra piped up. Both her and Gisa had remained rather silent- the former likely bored, and the latter just quiet.

" _Ah, right… I'll head down."_

She didn't take the way through Trace, no. She went above and around their row, then back downstairs.

" _She helps with medical."_ Kouga quickly explained. " _Magic is kinda really the only way we can do this all in a day."_

" _Ah…"_ Trace mumbled to himself. It made sense. They do stuff like that in the GMG's- getting out as many events as they can within the timespan. Though, the GMG was a rather long ways off… Plus, this was a whole different _format_ …

" _Quit acting so dumbfounded!"_ Glave swiftly yelled at him, snapping him out of his train of thought. " _Why go through the trouble of challenging me like this if you have no experience in a competitive environment?!"_

" _I_ _don't_ _!"_

" _LIAR!_ "

For a moment, Trace was tempted to lose his match on purpose, just to get Glave's attention off of him.

But, it would look pretty bad on him- his first fight, and he throws it.

" _Lay off the new kid."_ Lyra said, curtly. With another huff, Glave turned back around.

Perhaps, this next matchup wouldn't show him up too hard…

* * *

Onyx has fought through plenty in his life. A horde of angry Vulcans. A clan of rabid Lycanthropes. An army of experienced Rune Knights.

But, someway, somehow, fighting Avalon unnerved him more than any of those. He felled a wyvern without much of a falter- but someway, somehow, the glint in her eyes as they shook hands unhinged his very core.

" _May the best mage win."_ he said, reaching up to grab her hand.

" _Good luck~!"_ she had wished him- letting go and turning to her setup. There was a certain edge to her gaze, like an amused predator watching prey.

It was because he was short, wasn't it?

As Avalon lifted her guitar, hefting the strap on her shoulders, Onyx entered a fighting stance, taking a slow, deep breath in… and out.

" _Come on!"_ he yelled, and surrounded himself in a cyan blue glow.

He was _eager._

With somewhat of a flair, Avalon focused on her song- though, this wasn't a gentle tune. This wasn't what played in the background of an inn run by a kind lady. No- this was the song of a _war march_.

 _The Aria of Knights_...

As her song continued, a golden glow rose up from her song, forming and blending into a humanoid shape. A suit of golden armor, almost holographic, hefting an impressive broadsword.

It was big, but lacking. Being controlled by the rather pacifistic Avalon, it shouldn't be hard to fell.

...Or, so he thought.

With a sharp group of notes, the knight charged forwards in her stead, slashing upwards with its massive golden blade. With little effort, he caught the blade with energized hands, crackling at the touch. He quickly moved to kick the hulking warrior to the side- nuclear energy bursting against its helmet.

The most it did was skid back.

Fueled by an intense melody, it lifted its massive blade again- with a wide, arcing swing. Onyx hopped back- preparing himself for a strike downwards.

Quickly, the song dipped, and the warrior stopped.

It was silent, for a moment. Onyx looked back over to Avalon, behind the massive knight.

There was a certain gleam in her eyes as the song started again, and the warrior kicked forwards- knocking him over, sending him towards the barrier.

He reached down on the ground and skidded to a halt, charging two balls of atomic energy within his hands. The volatile substance sparked within his hands, burning with heat, vibrating with energy.

" _Nuclear Bomb!"_

Quickly, he threw the first one below him, the explosion recoil sending him up into the air. The second, he threw at the knight itself. As it made impact, bursting against its golden armor, it skidded back, flickering in form.

Avalon seemed to glance at the knight, and the tone of her song changed. While it was first monotonous, it quickly sped up in tempo, turning from a minor key to a major key. The golden aura around the knight shifted to a burning red.

Ah… _Siege Rhythm_. Sticking to supporting her knight, even as it began to falter.

Its strikes would hurt a lot more now. Onyx had to be careful. He returned to his neutral fighting position- breathing in… Then out…

Avalon's knight made the first move, running forwards, spinning around in place, like a murderous tornado. Though Onyx attempted to strike at it, the blade quickly made contact with him, throwing him against the barrier.

 _Hard._

As he limped up from the wall, a cut on his chest and a wound on his head, his aura began to fade.

" _Do you want to call it quits?"_ Avalon asked, with concern.

" _No!"_ Onyx yelled back in response, getting back in a fighting stance. " _It's just getting started!"_

In… and out…

His aura strengthened, and another set of bombs charged within his hands. He used the first to throw himself into the air, and kicked down on the armor with a powerful kick, sparking with energy. The force alone started another explosion, throwing him back up in the air.

Onyx's eyes darted to Avalon- she began to panic, playing with a bit more of a struggle- off-key every now and again.

He threw the second one in-between the two, knocking the knight over, and causing Avalon to recoil and drop the guitar in her hands. With the source of the song depleted, the knight's form flickered, and faded into nothing.

" _Come on! Round 2!"_ Onyx cried, getting back into his neutral position- still bleeding from his wounds.

" _O-Onyx, you're bleeding out!"_

" _I can take it!"_

" _Please, Onyx, you're hurt..! We should treat your wounds first."_

He scoffed, the aura around him fading away. " _Fine…"_

As they shook hands, Onyx saw that dangerous glint in her eyes once again. He shivered.

At least she didn't use the _Inferno Solo_ …

* * *

" _Ah."_

Trace was next, he had realized. Already, he felt like this match showed him up. _Both_ of the matches showed him up!

He was beyond nervous, that was for sure.

" _Tch… The dwarf will meet me in Semi's."_ Glave scoffed, arms crossed.

" _What if Lyra makes it?"_

Lyra didn't even seem to want to _be here_ , none the less be involved in this conversation.

" _Please. She threw last year, she'll throw this year."_ he declared, leering at Trace beneath that massive collar. " _And focus on_ _yourself_ _, Boot!"_

" _Ah, yeah. Gotta kick Cooked Blue's ass too…"_ Erin muttered. " _But, besides! Edgelord has to face off against my boy Kou first!"_

" _Eh?"_

Kouga turned back to Erin, somewhat dumbfounded. It seems he wasn't even prepared.

" _Even_ _he_ _knows he'll throw our match!"_

" _We got matching shirts and everything! Kou, come on!"_

Trace had to double-check- sure enough, on the front of both of their undershirts: " **ふぁいとくらぶ** **!"** He didn't even notice the detail…

" _Eh… I don't know. Maybe."_

" _You'd damn well_ _better_ _! It's not a win if you throw it!"_

For a moment, Trace swore he felt queasy. The most he could do was his best! If he got too intimidated, he could just give them the match!

He glanced towards Gisa- nervously. She seemed nervous- if not more so than he was. Perhaps, for a different reason.

She quickly broke eye contact, and got back up. Presumably to head out to the miniature infirmary.

For some reason, Trace saw it as her own way of saying: " _Good luck."_

* * *

 **A/N:** _I honestly was stuck on this one- right before Freya v. Tora for a week, and someway, somehow, binged this all out in the span of a couple hours total. This is a little late [Bi-weekly? I don't know her,] but I'm somewhat proud of how it turned out._

 _The format of fight/commentary/fight/commentary will likely stick throughout the eliminations. It'll change up later, but… I won't go into it so early._

 _Anyways, the chapter!_

 _I'm gonna be honest, I'm not very confident in my fight scenes. That's kinda why this took so long. But, despite the fights being short, I think they turned out good..!_

 _...Maybe._

 _The Onyx v. Avalon fight was originally going to be twice as long, but man, would it have dragged on. But, Avalon forcing him to take the W at "round one" kind of shows off their interactions better._

 _At first, I thought I'd hate writing Glave's dialogue. But, he's actually very fun to mess with._

 _I realize the brackets might be a bit confusing, without showing it off directly. I have it written down, but it might be hard to visualize. So, I'll break it down very quickly…_

 _Pre-Eliminations_

 _Round 1, Tora v. Freya._

 _Round 2, Avalon v. Onyx._

 _Eliminations_

 _Round 3, Trace v. Gisa._

 _Round 4, Erin v. Round 1's Winner [Freya]._

 _Round 5, Round 2's Winner [Onyx] v. Lyra_

 _Round 6, Kouga v. Glave._

 _Because of the member shortage, there's not exactly an even amount for a full pre-eliminations. So, it follows a basic 10-man bracket._

 _Anyways, for the_ _ **Question of the Chapter:**_ _What makes a good conflict for you? Not technically a physical conflict. Maybe a dispute between characters, guilds, factions… Things like that._

 _Do the good stuff from before. Favorite. Follow. Review. This story has gathered a pretty big amount of views. More than I expected- I think 150-ish..? Thanks for everyone reading- accountless or not._

* * *

 _In Response…_

 _ **Firefly OwO**_

 _The dream team is warming up to the masses, I see…_

 _That's understandable- I haven't showed off many skills beforehand. But, Trace getting his ass handed to him is the safest bet you could make. Even if he somehow manages, Gisa will_ _not_ _hold back._

 _ **Svane Vulfbad**_

 _Ah, this is a lengthy one. When I first read it, your review did give me a lot to think about…_

 _This AU is planning to be a completely clean slate. Whole new world, but just with basic similarities in the lore. Well, mostly..._

 _Ah. Yeah, I get that problem. I struggle a lot with describing characters- I feel like it breaks my pacing a lot. Just a big awkward clunk of "he pushed his brown hair away from his green eyes, with hands covered in white gloves…" But, I'm trying to improve._

 _They're short..? Huh, I thought they were all rather average-sized. Especially since most of them are young adults. I'll think about it for the next set._

 _That's fair, that's fair- it was only the 2nd chapter. We'll see if you so happen to change your mind once this arc ends._

 _These guys are nowhere near best guild ever, but not the worst guild in the world, either. They're just kinda average. But, for now, beating the crap out of each other for now is top priority._

 _Plus, the income from all of those tickets? Easy money!_

 _Hm… I wasn't exactly planning exact cameos. Maybe vague references, but I don't think I'd reference a character or guild by name. But, I get your point- you wanna at least keep it_ _grounded_ _in Fairy Tail, right? We're still very early on. I'll see if I change my mind._

 _As for Onyx's magic, I see where your thought process was. Though, really, my only thought process for naming it "Nuclear" magic was that it was really the only thing that described "cool highly-reactive explodey energy" without literally saying "cool highly-reactive explodey energy". It's not necessarily "tearing-apart-atoms-to-make-massive-blasts" sort of energy, as you so saw in this chapter. I couldn't really think of anything better._

 _And speaking of technology- though this wasn't necessarily a question, it was a topic. I would say that, vaguely, it's mostly magic-assisted. Lacrimas that can broadcast into a TV, or what have you not. I wouldn't think that weapons such as atomic bombs would exist- because there's not much of a_ _need_ _for atomic bombs to exist._

 _If that makes much sense._

 _Thank you for the follow!_

 _ **Inkwell Princess**_

 _I do feel bad for poor Trace. I can't even swim, being dumped in a freezing-cold river would be the death of me. They'd at least jump after him if he didn't get back up..._

 _Kouga and Erin are two opposite ends of the spectrum, I feel. Kouga wants to do nothing, and Erin wants to do everything. But let's be honest, they both agreed on matching shirts._

 _A fair prediction. We'll see if Kouga doesn't throw the match against our favorite little edgelord first._

 _Guildsy is honestly a dork. But, they'll show up again soon in this arc._

 _I hope this chapter meets your expectations!_

* * *

 _Synopsis…_

Furor Divinius. An ancient magic- it could even be considered lost. The magic channels the user's inner rage to do potentially catastrophic damage. The "rage" is expelled as a violent red energy. Despite how fast and damaging it may be, it lacks any sort of defensive moves.

Mystic Song Magic. A magic based upon music. The user can play different songs to various effects. Changing the tempo, key, or notes of a song can change the effect, as well. Though this may sound potent, it's mostly a support-based skillset. The songs leave the user open, as well.

* * *

 _ **Next Chapter:**_ _The Eliminations go down- and they go down hard._


	5. You DO NOT

_**Chapter 5: You DO NOT talk about Fight Club!**_

 **Summary:** _The Eliminations go down…_

 _And they go down quite hard._

* * *

" _How goes the festivities?"_

Somewhat of a smirk formed under the Guildmaster's cloak, as he walked into the makeshift infirmary. He had been onlooking from his study- but he always made a point to come down to the stadium at least once.

Though, normally, it would be right towards the end of the finals.

At his announcement, the other five members perked up- to a somewhat mild reaction. Understandable- these were the ones used to his presence.

" _Ah, it's you."_ Freya huffed, stretching out dormant muscles. " _Come out of your hole for once?"_

" _Harsh…"_ he sighed. " _I just wanted to check up on you all."_

" _Or watch the rookie get his ass kicked."_ Onyx perked up- leaning on a wall to the side. " _It's a free 2,000 jewel."_

" _...Yeah, sure. That too."_ he shrugged, sitting down in one of the seats, crossing his arms. " _No one's hurt too hard, right?"_

" _...They should be fine."_ Gisa muttered, with a nod.

" _You sure?"_ Tora asked- somewhat softly. " _Don't rush yourself."_

" _It's fine."_

She hopped off the stool, and made her way out the door.

" _I wonder what's up with Gisa…"_ Avalon puzzled- not losing tone on her soothing guitar song. " _She's been more quiet than normal."_

" _Jitters, probably."_ said the Guildmaster in reply. " _You really think_ _Trace_ _is something to be nervous about?"_

He struggled to hold back a laugh. The kid was like a puppy! She was fretting over nothing, he was sure.

* * *

Trace could feel wasps in his stomach.

Butterflies didn't even begin to _describe_ his nervousness. He had nothing to worry about, really- what was he trying to prove? What were the stakes?

(Erin had described the stakes as " _If you win the eliminations, Kiwami and Edgelord owe me two thousand jewel each, so…")_

(Really, if he would only impact a betting pool, there was nothing to fear.)

As he walked up into the ring, the crowd burst into cheers. His only response was to nervously wave, an awkward smile stuck on his face.

Gisa was on the other side, avoiding eye contact with Trace at all costs, as they slowly walked towards each other.

They grabbed hands, awkwardly shaking them up and down…

…

...

For a while.

" _Good luck!"_ Trace yelled, far too loudly.

" _Thanks, you too…"_ Gisa mumbled, all too quietly.

After they finally broke the handshake, walking back to opposing sides of the arena, the barrier formed around the stage once again. They could start at any time.

Trace tried to remember to breathe, reaching into his shirt, grabbing the pendant around his neck.

Well, it was rather… sloppy to be a proper _pendant_. Just a white string connecting a dog-tag and the small, blue-colored crystal. His "artefact".

Better than nothing. He grabbed the crystal gently- as if anything less than the softest touch would shatter it.

" _One-Star Transformation!"_

As the blue aura surged around and through his body, covering him in a sturdy, flexible armor, replacing his more casual clothing. Energy flowed through his veins like adrenaline.

" _C-come on!"_ he yelled, getting into the form's "natural" fighting position.

' _Nailed it!'_ he thought to himself, triumphantly.

Gisa's expression remained stoic, watching his little "sequence".

…

…

…

" _...Aren't you impressed..?"_

" _Not really…"_

She sounded disappointed too! _What was with this guild?!_

" _O-oh..! Well, that's okay!"_

Without the flair he'd seen from the rest of the guid, Gisa pulled up a small vial from her utility belt- it was a bright, passionate orange. She drank it down without hesitation.

For a quick moment, Trace expected her to light on fire or something- but she didn't. Instead, she pressed her hands down on the ground- likely some sort of transmuting ritual.

" _Y'know, I wanted to study Alchemy for awhile! It's a cool practice!"_

She didn't reply.

The wasps in his stomach were gone- he just felt _sad_.

The floor began to vibrate like some sort of quake- the white stones in the arena raising upwards with a white glow. The stones and dirt began to form a massive, humanlike shape- towering over Trace himself.

" _...Ah."_

A _Golem._ Held together only by the unique magic used. Gisa, expertly, climbed up to the top of it's hunched back, keeping an even balance so easily.

Well, if his challenge was to break this thing down, it should be easy! Bigger they are, and whatnot! He could take it without breaking a sweat!

" _C-come on!"_ he yelled, in a vain attempt to hype himself up.

" _...Okay."_

The hulking beast stomped- slowly towards him. It leered down with glowing eyes, raising a fist of dark stone and earth as it walked forwards.

It was gonna punch him, eh? Not a problem! He was much faster than this massive thing- he'd dodge it with ease!..

..Or, maybe…

Before he had the chance to think it over, the golem kicked Trace with one of its stubby legs. He was sent skidding back, barely managing to avoid falling over.

" _So, that's how it's gonna be, huh..?"_ he muttered to himself.

He had two options- take out Gisa, or take out the Golem. But, it didn't seem like she wanted to give him that opportunity to think.

Of course not- they're legals! They have to think in the heat of the moment; he has to adapt to that!

The golem, go for the golem!

He rushed to one of its legs- dodging a slam of its massive arms. Knocking it off-balance should turn this in his favor! An aura of green surrounded his metallic glove, pulsating with wind.

" _Wind Gust Fist!"_

With his shout, Trace punched at the golem's left leg- breaking through the stone. Though, he didn't break the leg entirely, like he hoped.

It'd take a couple more punches- something Gisa wouldn't allow him to do. The beast's stone hand came down to crush him.

" _Crap!"_

Trace hefted his arms up, stopping the fist for a moment. It was heavy-pushing down on him with all it had… Perhaps, he could use that momentum!

" _Hurricane Suplex!"_

With a sudden burst of strength and energy, he flipped the golem and its rider over. Gisa rolled over to the side, and a few new cracks formed in the stone creature's body.

" _Alright!"_ Trace yelled. He was hype! He could do this! He could win!

Gisa pulled herself back up, motioning at her golem to do the same. As it complied, she pulled a different vial from her belt- this one dark purple.

As she drank it, a metamorphosis began to occur. Dark blue fur sprouted on her body, her hands turning to sharp claws. Her face turned animalistic, monstrous.

" _Wait, you're a werewolf?!"_ he yelled in surprise.

She shook her head "no", and muttered something too quiet for him to hear.

And then she charged, claws brandished. The golem hulked after him, as well.

He dodged a claw to his helmet, and a kick to his shin. She was fast, in this form, much more than he expected. Well, he should learn to expect the unexpected- he was a legal!

" _Storm Ki-"_

He couldn't even finish his spell, before he backed into something.

The golem.

Trace had forgotten about that.

" _Tornado Kick!"_

With wind sweeping around his leg, Trace pulled himself into a rotating roundhouse. He knocked off the remainder of the golem's left leg, and then kicked Gisa away.

He should focus on the golem. Dealing with Gisa's new form would be a hassle with this big hulk.

" _Skyward…"_

Wind swirled around his fist, creating a spiraling tornado. Energy surged throughout his body.

" _PUNCH!"_

He leapt up and uppercutted the golem. He rammed straight through its chest, creating a massive, gaping hole. Skidding against the barrier, he dropped to the floor, just in time to see the stone creature collapse, the magic energy fading away.

Gisa's eyes widened, in surprise. But, it faded, as she walked up to him, calmly.

" _Good match?"_ she asked, extending a hand (claw? paw?) to him.

" _Yeah! Good match!"_

They shook hands, signifying the end of the match. Trace's armor faded away.

…

…

… Did he just win?

* * *

" _... Did Trace just win?"_

The guildmaster asked himself this, dumbfounded, as he watched the screen in front of them. Though, he didn't need the screen to hear the roars of the crowd.

" _Damnit..."_ Onyx swore to himself. " _I can't be mad, though. The rookie has skill."_

Soon enough, Trace and Gisa walked into the infirmary themselves. Trace's armor had dispersed, but Gisa remained in her Werebeast form. It seems it didn't wear off, yet.

" _Well, well! First day, first win, huh?"_ Freya greeted him first, with a wave.

" _Congratulations, Trace!"_ Avalon chirped.

" _Aw… Thanks guys…"_ Trace smiled, bashfully.

" _You've earned it, kid."_ said Tora, in agreement. " _Gisa's no slouch."_

" _You didn't go easy on him or anything, right?"_ Onyx asked- mildly sarcastically.

" _Come on, be nice…"_ the guildmaster mumbled.

He was quite lucky to pick up this recruit… Though, he'll wait to see whether or not Trace could pull through further.

" _AHAHAA!"_

A third person entered- a triumphant Erin. A stack of jewel bills were in her hands. Kouga, of course, was close behind.

" _We're eating out tonight, Cooked Blue! You should've seen the look on Edgelord's face!"_

" _Glave's probably going to scream at you, once you're back on the bleachers."_ Kouga said to Trace, bluntly.

" _Yeah, I… figured."_ Trace sighed, dejectedly.

Erin snickered, and passed the money to Kouga. " _I'd keep talking with you guys, but I have a W to get. Kou, get the rest for me."_

Kouga nodded, and took a nearby seat. " _Good luck."_

" _I'm only 10% luck! Then it's 20% skill! And 15% concentrated power of will!"_

Though, she walked out, presumably to the arena.

" _She talks a big game…"_ Freya scoffed. " _Let's see if she improved since last year."_

She hopped off her own seat, and made her way out.

* * *

" _Alright! This is what I'm talking about!"_

Erin, as per usual, was excited. Already, she was air-hopping and shadow-boxing, before Freya even stepped foot into the proper zone.

" _I'm winning this time!"_ Erin swore, as she approached her senior. " _Fireworks-Senpai, I am going to win this time!"_

For the last three tournaments Erin was a part of, Freya could remember easily overpowering Erin, as she swore these exact same things. They shook hands, and the barrier formed.

" _Do your best, Erin! No holding back."_ Freya called. A colorful flame sparked to life in her hands.

" _Oh, bet?!"_

Erin grappled onto the red crystal on her neck, tied as a sloppy pendant.

" _One-Star Transformation!"_ she shouted.

A burning aura formed around her body, replacing her clothing with a sturdy armor. Two pistols were attached to the armor's sides- which she promptly drew.

" _Let's dance!"_

Freya jetted towards her direction, meeting her immediately with a flaming fist. Close range was Erin's weakness, that she knew.

Though, she didn't expect her to block it.

" _Same start from last year! You're throwing!"_

Erin shifted one of her pistols to Freya's chest- firing a single, flaming shot just as she leaped away.

" _Explosive Shot!"_

Freya dodged the bullet again- only to watch as it burst against the barrier. That would hurt quite a bit…

" _Explosive Shot! Explosive Shot! Explosive Shot! I need more dakka!"_

The explosive bullets turned rapid. They both knew she couldn't dodge them forever.

" _Fireworks Barrage!"_

A flame met each bullet- exploding in both color and destruction. Slowly, the fireworks began to overtake the black and red bursts.

" _Ah, shit! Flame Fusion!"_

Erin shoved both of her pistols together, melding into a single, large cannon. She pointed it to the ground, quickly firing a stream of flames, sending her upwards.

Freya liked going airborne. She wasted no time jetting after her junior.

" _Caught ya, now!"_ Erin snickered, slyly. She quickly split her guns apart again, drifting to the ground as she did so. Mid-fall, she pointed her pistols up, towards her opponent.

" _Hellfire Blaze!"_

A barrage of bullets were sent her way. Erin, using a trap? Must've learned it from Kouga...

Freya tried to zip around them- but Erin was relentless. A few of them grazed at her body, scalding and burning. Her landing was rough, hissing, holding her burned arm.

" _Hey- that looks pretty servere… I didn't go overboard, did I?"_

Erin asked this, genuinely.

" _Nothing Gisa can't patch up. Good game?"_

She would keep going, but this was her dominant arm. Better not risk further injury using her left.

" _Wh- huh..? Y-yeah! Yeah!"_

Erin's armor dispersed, as she jogged up to shake Freya's hand. The left hand, she made sure.

* * *

" _Erin 1, Freya 3! Small victory!"_

The guildmaster was rather certain that Erin liked to make her presence known. Of course, not like he had much of a problem, with that.

" _You did good, kid…"_ Onyx huffed. He, dejectedly, slid Kouga another 2,000 jewel.

" _I'm taking the W from you next, Cooked Blue! And if I lose, Kiwami's paying me, so I still win!"_

" _I didn't think there'd be another artefact user here…"_ Trace said, in awe. " _That's a pretty big coincidence, isn't it?"_

" _Glave uses one, too."_ Tora explained. " _Surprisingly, the third one is the least annoying."_

" _I don't want to hear that from a talking, oversized cat, Tusk!"_

" _I think you're all rather endearing."_ Avalon offered, nicely.

" _Yes, quite."_ the Guildmaster added on. " _No matter how edgy you are, or how big of a gremlin you are."_

" _Please, you're getting in on the teasing too!"_ Erin smirked.

Such a diverse cast. Who knew where the results would take them, next?

* * *

 **A/N:** _Bi-weekly updates, I said. Monthly updates, I said._

 _I am really sorry for being so late with this chapter. A lack of motivation, school, depression, other projects, and all of those other good things stopped me from updating when I should've. But, from here, I will try my best to update whenever I can._

 _Enough wallowing in my own sorrow, the chapter._

 _I somehow binged out 3/4ths of this chapter in one session. How? I don't know. But activity! Action!_

 _I really love writing this guild. I missed doing it. They're so good._

 _For the_ _ **Question of the Chapter**_ _, what's your favorite magic, so far? I'd say I've showed off enough to ask this question._

 _Something something, read and review and favorite and knuckles. Do that good stuff. And again, I'm really sorry for getting this out so late. I'd like to thank you all for your patience._

* * *

 _In response…_

 _ **InkwellPrincess**_

 _Ahh, I'm so happy you liked my fights! That really means a lot to me, that you hold my humble little series to such a regard!_

 _Let Onyx fight, damnit! He's a very cool character; a man unwilling to back down. His passion makes up for his height._

 _I still really love Glave. He didn't show up this time, but just know he was still screaming in the stands._

 _He's an edgelord who has to go alone and can't really detect sarcasm! He has to be the best!_

 _ **FireflyeOwO**_

 _Hey, don't worry about that, man. And hey, that's fair. I try and make all of my conflicts at least somewhat justifiable, even if the reason isn't very obvious at a first glance._

* * *

 _Synopsis…_

Alchemy. The practice of bending the elements of the world to suit your needs. It involves both potion-making and transmutations, allowing for the user to create a variety of different effects without having very strong magic reserves. However, each spell requires necessary supplies. You can't make something out of nothing, after all!

Fireworks Magic. A variation of Fire Magic, using colorful and explosive fires to the user's advantage. However, there's not exactly a lot of variety in their spells, because of this.

* * *

 _ **Next Chapter:**_ _The Eliminations continue, with many surprises ahead!_


	6. If Someone Says Stop Fight's Over

_**Chapter 5:**_ _If Someone Says "Stop" , Or Goes Limp, Taps Out- Fight's Over._

 **Summary:** _The Eliminations continue, with many surprises ahead!_

* * *

Glave Bravewing the Fourth had never been more livid in his life.

First, the boot easily wins over the magicless trout!

(" _... Did Cooked Blue just win..?"_ Erin asked, dumbfounded, as she watched the barrier disperse.)

(" _Trace just won."_ Kouga confirmed for her.)

 _Then_ , because the boot had the gall to win, he pays the gremlin 2,000 jewel!

(" _Yes! Hell yeah! Take that L, Edgelord!")_

(" _It's not an L!"_ Glave yelled, slapping the bills into Erin's triumphant palm.)

(It sure felt like an L.)

And now, that same gremlin won against Freya, meaning he owed her _MORE_ money!

This is why he doesn't gamble! It's a cheapskate's game based upon luck and guessing!

And the Arcane Knight was _NOT_ a cheapskate!

" _It's not that deep, Glave."_ Lyra sighed, simply.

" _Why don't you shut it?!"_ he yelled back. She only sighed again- deeper this time.

" _I'm going downstairs to pay that wench off!"_

Lyra seemed relieved. " _You go do that, Glave."_

" _And don't you have a match to throw?"_

" _Yeah, I'll go down later."_

Glave huffed, but didn't reply further. He hopped out of his seat, stomping to the infirmary.

" _ **BOOT!**_ "

As soon as Glave slammed the door open, his glare locked onto the frightened newcomer.

" _...Hi Glave..!"_ Trace replied, nervously. His voice was cracking, and his body was shaking. " _Y-you just missed the Guildmaster..!"_

He stomped over to the lowly Artefact user, and slammed his foot over his head. Trace yelped.

" _Do you_ _truly_ _think you're a suitable rival for me?!"_

" _I… I just wanted to join a guild…"_

" _You're pathetic! Your lanky fists are_ _nothing_ _to my blade!"_

For emphasis, Glave grappled onto one of Trace's pathetic, scrawny, feeble hands. _These_ were the hands that wanted to challenge him?!

" _Look, we get it Edgelord."_ Erin said, with a smarmy grin, wrapping her arm around his shoulder. " _You lost the bet. You're salty. I get it. But threatening Cooked Blue isn't going to solve anything-"_

" _QUIET!"_ Glave screamed, at last lowering his foot. " _Take your worthless bills!"_

He slapped the money into her open palm.

" _I'll drive your albino mongrel of a lackey into the ground!"_

" _Huh…?"_

Kouga glanced up- almost like he was taking a nap.

" _Nah! Kou's popping off this time!"_

" _What..?"_

To the side, Onyx sighed, deeply. " _I have a match to win. I'll deal with you kids later."_

" _I'll see you in the semis, dwarf!"_

Onyx didn't seem surprised or even angered at that comment. He just seemed… Oddly hurt, as he left the infirmary.

" _You know he's sensitive about his height…"_ Avalon mumbled, sadly.

" _I guess Glave is sensitive about his bets…"_ Trace sighed.

" _What was that, Boot?!"_

" _N-nothing!"_

* * *

" _Can I just give you the win?"_

Lyra really didn't want to be here.

As a guild member of Wyvern's Flight, she was required to enter these tournaments. She didn't want to. She just wanted a stable job in a relatively quiet guild.

Apparently, it was in her contract, too. Ditching wasn't an option.

" _Where's the fun in that?"_

Onyx scoffed at her request.

She sighed- deeply, as she shook his hand. The barrier formed around them once again.

Just throw a couple of lousy hits, then give up. Simple enough plan.

An aura of energy surrounded Onyx, as he charged straight at her. Instinctually, she dodged the upcoming punch, and a kick to her legs.

Then she remembered she was supposed to be "throwing". Whatever it was called.

" _Sparking Shield."_

A bubble of green electricity formed around her being. An incoming kick to her head crackled against the barrier, creating an explosion against it. Onyx was sent skidding back- but she barely moved.

" _Can I give you the match now?"_

" _No!"_

Two orbs of blue energy formed in his hands- then several more around him.

" _Bomb Barrage!"_

One after another after another, he threw the volatile blasts- barely letting up. Lyra's shield would go down, at this rate…

" _Thunder Strike."_

A magic circle formed above Onyx's head. He quickly moved out of the way- as a bolt of lightning came crashing down from it.

" _Can I_ _please_ _give you the match?"_

" _NO!"_

Lyra sighed, deeply. She didn't really want to _hurt_ the guy. " _Have it your way."_

The shield dispersed, and green electricity merged into her hand. Onyx grinned in delight.

" _Electric Phaser."_

She rushed forwards- aiming a series of jabs with her electrified palm. Onyx seemed to just barely dodge each one.

...Perhaps…

" _Plasma Beam."_

A point-blank blast of electricity. Onyx sidestepped just in time.

" _Hah..! Not fast enou-"_

In the middle of his monologue, Lyra chopped the back of his neck with an electric hand. He fell to the ground, twitching.

" _Can I please just give you the match?"_

* * *

" _Pathetic!"_

As soon as Lyra walked in, carrying Onyx's tazed body, Glave _had_ to yell his thoughts on that match.

" _You call that a duel, you gnat?! I'll show you a duel!"_

" _There's really no satisfying you, is there, Edgelord?"_ Erin huffed.

" _Quiet!"_

" _I'm going back upstairs…"_ Lyra sighed, as she rolled Onyx onto a cot.

" _Are you not hurt?"_ Tora asked, concerned.

" _No."_ Lyra replied, bluntly.

" _Don't be so antisocial. Stay with us!"_ Freya beamed, with a warm smile.

"... _I'm okay, thanks."_ Lyra said, as she walked out of the infirmary. Freya's warm smile morphed to a dejected frown.

" _It was worth a shot."_ Avalon offered, in support.

" _Companions only weigh you down!"_ said Glave, tauntingly. " _Mongrel! Are you prepared to die?!"_

Once again, Kouga jolted out of his daydreams.

" _Well?! Meet me in the ring if you're not a coward!"_

Kouga glanced up- and frowned. " _You really couldn't make me be scared of you."_

" _Oh, we'll see!"_

Glave stomped out, grappling onto the pendant on his neck. He _would_ win!

The Arcane Knight _never_ loses!

* * *

(" _Come on, Kou! You're popping off this time!"_ Erin had cheered, as he left the infirmary.)

(" _We'll see."_ was Kouga's only reply.)

Before he even stepped into the arena, Glave was already in his One-Star Transformation. Silver and gold knight-like armor, and a broadsword in his hand.

How gaudy.

" _Let's have fun."_ Kouga offered, as he extended a hand.

His hand was merely slapped away, with a blue-eyed glare.

" _Give me a_ _real_ _fight."_ Glave glowered, as he walked away.

" _Give me a_ _real_ _fight."_ Kouga mimicked under his breath, with a roll of his eyes.

" _PIERCING DYNAMO!"_

Starting off with the heavy attacks already, huh..?

A white aura formed around Kouga's being. To counter the incoming electrified sword, seven swords of pure light met the blade.

" _Bet you can't hit me."_

" _Bet?!_ _Electric Blur!"_

Glave's sword arm turned into a rapid blur of stabs. Each one was met with one of Kouga's own- cancelling the attacks out.

" _I said a REAL fight!"_ Glave barked.

Kouga smirked. " _You don't want that."_

" _Storm Surge!"_

A spin attack, that time. Kouga leaped away, before it could reach him.

" _FIGHT BACK, DAMN YOU!"_

Glave was basically trilling, at this point. How embarrassing...

" _You_ _don't_ _want that."_ Kouga warned, again.

" _PIERCING DYNAMO!"_

Another one of those heavy jabs. Just as easily blocked.

" _I'll break your stupid swords!"_

Glave kept going- a relentless series of electrified stabs.

" _Fight back, you coward!"_

Kouga sighed, deeply. He _really_ didn't want to do this.

" _I warned ya. Limit Overdrive!"_

All seven of Kouga's swords rushed forwards, too quick for Glave to dodge at this state. Each one pinned him down to the ground. With a clench of his fist, they burst- into a massive explosion. The aura of white faded away.

…

...Maybe that was a bit overkill.

" _Gh..!"_

Glave stood back up. His armor was tattered and chipped, blood dripping from the tears.

" _I'm... Not… Done with you..!"_

Kouga walked towards the knight, with a blank expression on his face.

" _Piercing.. Dynamo!"_

Kouga let the attack hit him. The sword stabbed right through the center of his chest.

" _Listen."_

Kouga pushed himself down on the sword. It tore further, _impaling_ him. He didn't so much as wince, as he glared down at the so-called Knight.

" _Don't think you're tough shit, you self-entitled brat."_

Glave's eyes were wide, with surprise.

As he pulled himself off the blade, it slowly began to heal back- the flow of blood stopping.

…

Then, he fell over, clutching his regenerating wound, pretending to be in serious pain.

" _Ow..! Ow, I give up..! Ow! You didn't have to stab me! Shit, that hurts! Uncle! Uncle!"_

Glave was silent as the barrier dispersed around them.

-[uhhh lineboi]-

" _Ow… Ah… Ah… That hurts…"_

To stunt the bleeding (though Glave was _certain_ the bleeding stopped _long ago_ ), Kouga had tied his jacket around his chest, falsely limping his way into the infirmary.

" _You threw, Kou! Why?!"_

Erin was _hurt_. Exaggerated tears were flowing down her face like a pair of gremlin waterfalls.

" _We were supposed to be Finalist Boys!"_

" _He_ _got_ _stabbed_ …" Trace muttered, in confusion.

" _Ow… My mortal wound…"_

Glave couldn't bring himself to speak. He couldn't bring himself to say _anything_.

" _Erin…"_ the mongrel croaked, dramatically.

" _Kou! Speak to me!"_

A combination of boiling rage and utter shock stopped Glave from interfering in this grade-school play.

" _If I die… Fill my casket with pancakes…"_

" _Get a… room..!"_ Onyx snorted, still suffering from the tasing.

" _Screw you, Kiwami, the man's dying!"_

" _He'll be on his feet in twenty minutes."_ Gisa mumbled, after taking a glance at the cut. Kouga shrugged, and crossed his arms behind his head.

" _You're no fun!"_

While no one else was looking, Kouga locked eyes with Glave- and winked, smugly. Glave _knew_ what that meant. " _No one would believe you. It's our little secret, Edgelord."_

He remained silent, glaring into the floor. That _smugass mongrel_...

Glave may have won the match- but it sure as hell felt like he _lost_.

* * *

 **A/N:** _Yeahh, I finished this chapter, like, last month. I was just too lazy to write the Author's Note. My bad._

 _A Glave P.O.V. chapter was honestly… Very intimidating to write. I still don't feel as if I wrote his complex and thought process with the justice it deserves. Though, now that I've done this trial, I can improve for when I go in-depth in the future!_

 _I know none of these weren't exactly "surprising" outcomes, and all… But, I'm trying to showcase each character's personality while they fight. Lyra's standoffish personality in comparison to Onyx's fiery passion. Kouga's laziness in comparison to Glave's… Edge._

 _The scene with Kouga and Glave I wanted to do for a_ _long_ _time. Really, if you asked me who the strongest member of this guild was, Guildmaster excluded, I'd say Kouga, no hesitation. There's only one other scene in this arc I look forward to writing as much as this one._

 _Obviously for reasons I can't explain yet. But, I'm interested in seeing your theoretical explanations._

 _Since… uh… We didn't really get any reviews answering this last chapter, I'll reuse that_ _ **Question of the Chapter:**_ _favorite magic so far! A bit more fair, now that every magic has been shown off._

 _And geez, I need to come up with more questions._

 _Follow, favorite, review, all that happy fun stuff. I love you guys. Thanks again for reading!_

* * *

 _In Response…_

 _ **DAve and Bob:**_ _Thanks for the support, dude! I like OC stories a lot- most of the fics I'll post will probably be OC-centric. They're criminally underrated._

 _Thank you_ _ **Dragonslayer-Ryouta**_ _for the favorite!_

* * *

 _Synopsis..._

Electric Magic. A variation of Lighting Magic, focused upon speed over all else. The user's own creativity dictates the type of spells they can learn.

Arcane Soul Magic - Blade Charge Style. One of the many styles of this magic, unique to Kouga. The user controls levitating swords of light, signaled through simple thoughts. Though it doesn't have too great of a range to it, the user becomes devastating up close.

* * *

 _ **Next Chapter:** A bit of an intermission, before the Semi-Finals begin..._


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